Highlaws Cottage

[ygathddu]

Hi !
According to the 1871 census, my great grandfather lived at Highlaws Cottage Mitford . Is this cottage still there?

[c-side]

Hi there,

I can't say about this cottage in particular but as you can see from these photographs there are a lot of old buildings in Mitford, so it's not impossible.

http://www.northumberland-cam.com/mitford/2.htm

I'll see if I can find any references.

Christine

[ygathddu]

Thank you so much Christine . The photographs are lovely !

[charlotteCH]

Hi
If you asked the Local Studies Library nearest to Mitford, they may well be able to answer your question- and may, if you're very lucky, even have an old pic of the cottage.

charlotte

[c-side]

The nearest library is in the neighbouring parish of Morpeth and it does have a good local history section.

Christine

[charlotteCH]

Christine, that sounds promising.  I've been delighted at how helpful some librarians in Local Studies Libraries have been.

Let us know what you learn please.

charlotte

[JenB]

Mitford was a huge parish, http://www.genuki.bpears.org.uk/NBL/Mitford/index.html . Highlaws wasn't in the village itself, but seems to have been a 'township' some way west.

Go to http://gis.durham.gov.uk/website/interMAP/viewer.htm, click  on search, and then select 'coordinates'. A new page will open. Under 'new Coordinates Search' enter 407520 and 583974.
This will centre the map on Highlaws. You can select older maps by using the drop-down menu at the bottom of the page.
Use the + or - button to zoom in or out.

These pictures on Geograph give some idea of the terrain http://www.geograph.org.uk/browse.php?p=525887
and another picture here http://www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk/highlaws.html
Jennifer

[c-side]

You're right, Jennifer, the rural parishes were extensive - not too many people but many square miles.

According to my little place name book of Northumberland 'laws' is an old English word for hill.  So great grandfather's cottage ought to have been on a high hill.

Christine

[Michael Dixon]

 Just adding to Christine comment that there were " not too many people"

For the 1871 census the combined Mitford Parish townships of High Highlaws and Low Highlaws contained 129 folk.

Michael